Chapter 11 Part 3

…

(Dime) Your Highness, I am no longer able to open my dimension. These C.R.A.I.G Soldiers will not be able to rebuild themselves while in this realm. I recommend they join the Commander Golem and power down until this malfunction has been resolvvvvvvvvvvv.

"Dime?" Christopher asks quizzically. Dread rises in his chest as Dime does not respond.

"Dime, Please respond." Nothing but silence.

(Narrator) W--What just happened?!

(Nebulon) Hmm.

(Narrator) What's 'Hmm' Mean?

(Nebulon) I. I'm not sure.

(Narrator) How can you be 'not sure'?!

(Nebulon) This is new to me.

(Narrator) How is that even possible!?

(Nebulon) It's a brand new timeline.

(̶̨̘͂͑͐̌͝D̶͖̿i̴̬̻̭̳̯̓͗͝m̶͇͇̭͋ȇ̶̲̬͍̪͙̈̈͗̄)̶̹̫̥̠͖̄̂͛͝ ̸̨̦͍̳̆̒̄̽̔I̷̠͎̳̓̅̃̒ͅ ̵̢͇̙̥̣̅á̴̛͙̖̣̙̫̓̑̍m̶͎̦͇̬̮͑͑̕ ̴̨̜͉͉̔̈́̀͘͜ȍ̷̭͇̄͝k̴͖̆̆̇̀͘.̸̖͗̔ ̶̫͕̭͓́̾̋P̵̨̖͚͈͊́́͜l̴͈̦̝͎̈͒͗͊͝e̷̛̞͗̽̽͗a̵̖̖̳̯̘̅̄̈́͒͘s̵̖͓̈e̵̤͚̗̦͖͗̅̅̀ ̵̭̌̾t̶̨̮̱̹́͊͐̾̈ë̸̞͜l̶̞͛̓̐ͅl̸̠̓͝ ̴̮͈͔͋́̄t̵̨̡̖̜́͆̆̌͜͝h̴͈̭͍̞̪͒e̸͈̘̒͒ ̸̨̯̪̝̓̂̾͝M̵͓̊͗͘a̸̢̼͙̜͈͛̉̇̀s̷̡̝̱̾̀̏͝͝t̷͕͇͎͉̅̀̔̌̇e̵̱͎͇͓̯̽̃̃̽̔ŗ̴͉͔͎͆̑͒̾.̶̡̞̝̯͓́̈ ̶̝̯̒T̵̨̝̗̎̚̚h̸̛̥͓̮͚͙̑a̷̜̣̖͇͍̽t̵̛̛͔̏̓ ̵͛͑̌͑ͅa̵̘̠̓̈̈́̽̕l̸̨̡̛͙͎̑̏͌͠ļ̶̮̲̹́͒͝ ̶͓̓̉̍̂S̴̹̳̀́̑̈́̂p̶̡̫̣͙̿͆̌̀ͅa̷̞̲̟̪͛ṭ̴̮͚́͑̈́͆͂į̷̼͚̿͒̿̆̕à̴̳̝̎̎̉̀ḷ̶̢̣̱́̄͝ ̶͚̙́̈́̏͠M̶̨̖̮̊̅́̎̊à̴̙̯̺̲͉g̴̩̲̖̎͛̽̈́ͅi̴̩͗͐̀c̷̹̋͋ ̴̢̡͖̳̝͝ì̴͖͕̰̪́̄̀̕ͅs̷̹̔̓̊̍͝ ̷̃̿͛̈́ͅu̶̪͇͒s̴͓̓͛ͅe̸̢͈̾̔l̸̠̘̃̍ẻ̷̤́̈́̿s̸̙͉̫̦̾̃͜ṣ̶̡̬̩̪͝.̵̧̟͛ ̴̜̳̣̟̀̇ͅĮ̸̣͐͐̀́́ ̸̥͈̥́͋̽̿̓c̴̤̎͒̐a̴͕̜͗n̸̻̣͇͑̽́ǹ̸͚͈͓̺̇̄͝o̶͍̝͎̭͚͛͒̾̈́̕t̶̡̨̗͎̩̃̒̂͐ ̶̨̊͌͌̆m̵̨̼̪̒̋a̸̻̠͚͕͇̋n̵̟̔̅ì̶͈̦͖͒ͅf̷̹͖̦̼̄͜e̴̼͛̂̅̕s̴̖͖̫̅ͅt̶̥̝͊̓̃̽̀ ̸̢͎̘̦̠̑̎̍̏̐ọ̸̹͍̐͐̾̚u̶̥̖̪̪̒͛t̵̞̦͔̋̈̌́ ̷̰̭̓o̴͇̱͒f̶̭̩̈͜ ̸̙̻̔̅m̷͖̓̍̊͛y̷̢̗̍̀̓͘͝ ̷͇̞̔ŗ̶͕͖͎̌i̵̲̽n̷̟͔̹̹͙̐͒̐̀̆ĝ̸̹̏͐̈́s̶͙͓̲̽ ̸̼̠̟̭̂̓̅̒i̶̫̝͕̓́͑͌̐͜n̵̫̜̹̪̄̔̇ś̴̙̂̏̂̈́i̴̡͔̠͈̕̕d̴͕̘͎͈͖̋e̶̛̲̓̕͠ ̸͕͑̂͗͘t̵̛͚͉̘̤̳̒͌h̶͎̳̥͗͜e̸̫̮̟̽́̐̚͠ ̶̱̥͖̈́d̷̙̘̄͒͊i̵̛͕̗̋̌̓́s̵̫͈̙̥͗t̸͍̺̐́̈͝o̴͍̹̥̎͂r̴̙̥̺͉̓̒̀͠ṫ̵̻i̸̹͌̋̌͂̌o̸̧̦̼͉̔͠n̸̯͉͇̟̾͜

…

(Narrator) What the fuck is that?!

(Nebulon) Corrupted text?

(Narrator) I didn't know this could happen?

(Nebulon) Neither did I.

(Narrator) God damn it. It's bleeding onto the other lines.

(Nebulon) I'm going to make a copy of this page. Christopher could probably decipher it.

(Narrator) Good idea.

"Nebulon! Can it! Can't you figure out we are in the middle of a crisis!? What is this thing you need me to see?" Christopher says heatedly.

(Nebulon) Here.

A coarse piece of paper that's stained slightly giving off an old yellowed look materialises, slowly falling to the ground as it sways with the air. Christopher snatches the parchment, giving it a glance.

"Is this a page from my R.O.I.M.P?" No answer comes from his question, but he feels that a nod was made in agreement.

"You were talking to Tari. Then. Is-is that Dime? How did he-? Wait, Where is Tari? I don't see them anywhere."

(Narrator) He can't see me anymore? This is bad.

"This must be because of the Spatial Displacement. It affects anything linked by Spatial Magic. Probably meaning that our connection has been muted somehow."

(Narrator) No way.

Concern radiates from Tari's light, turning into a light purple hue.

"Damn it. We've been ambushed by these stupid Undead for three days. How is nowhere safe?" Jill complains, driving her sword into the last Skeleton in the hoard.

"I wish I could be of more use." Christopher says, sitting down against a rock with an arm on his knee. Everyone is covered in dirt and grime but Christopher's clothes begin to clean themselves.

"That enchantment sure is handy." Jasyn comments, using a handkerchief to wipe the green blood off of his armour.

"Doesn't your armour have a repair enchantment? Why are you wiping off the Zombie blood?"

"It's highly corrosive when in contact with metal." Jasyn says, wiping the remainder of the blood off his helm.

"It can also destroy enchantments if it damages it enough. Always clean any metal covered in Zombie blood within an hour, or your next swing will destroy your blade." Christopher adds.

"O-oh." Jill says, sitting on her heels. She tears part of her shirt to wipe down her sword. She stuffs the now dirty makeshift rag onto her belt.

"Let's eat while we can. I don't think we will see any more Undead for now." Jasyn says, reaching into a sac. He tosses a bread loaf to both Jill and Christopher, taking one out for himself.

Munching on the mouldy brick, she makes a comment. "I miss him. And Dime too. We always had good food when they was here."

"You mean 'were here'. But yeah. They both provided good food." Christopher reminisces.

"It took Beerwolf a hell of a lot longer than Dime though." Jasyn smiles, tearing into his bread.

"Yeah, he always used to 'hunt' for food. The maids made him sleep outside after saying it too." Christopher chuckles.

"Beerwolf said that? I don't think I could ever see him saying that." Jill says, a tear trickles down her cheek as she smirks.

(Narrator) Honestly, you're all talking like they're dead. It's kinda depressing.

…

(The Father) Tariku, are you ok?

(Narrator) Dad, That came out of nowhere. What are you doing here?

(The Father) I feel your lifeforce weakening. What is going on?

(Narrator) Something never seen before is emitting Spatial interference. I'm sure I'll be ok when Christopher resolves it.

(The Father) That is not what I mean. You need to remove yourself from the perimeter.

(Narrator) Why, father?

(The Father) If you get any closer to that crater, your existence will cease.

(Narrator) I do not, understand.

(The Father) Look, I know this is your job-

(Narrator) I'm not going to abandon him. I don't care what you have to say to me Father. I refuse to leave him to fend for himself.

(The Father) *Sigh* Fine.

…

A singular bright column of light breaks through the cloudy sky, landing upon Christopher. Singing angels is heard all around them. The Father's voice appears ethereal as he speaks.

(The Father) Christopher Newman Liard, I shall bestow a blessing upon thee. Please, take care, and banish the darkness tainting thy land. Thy blessing will last one day, use it wisely.

"Blessing? What is this?" Christopher says, examining the shimmer surrounding him.

The etherealness disappears leaving behind the low melodic beauty of The Father's voice.

(The Father) You are awfully dull for one called a genius. *cough* You are receiving a boost to your Spatial Affinity. Now take care my child.

The column of divine light disperses, leaving Christopher very confused.

"Ok, I have no idea what just happened, but I feel like I can use my Spatial Magic again. Wait, I just noticed something. Something was pulling me. Like, my mana was chasing towards something. It felt like when you feel a carriage stop in its tracks and you have to brace yourselves." His eyes go wide, spying Tariku hovering nearby. Tari notices, his light turning pink as he charges him. Christopher grabs him before he could barrel into his chest. Tari sobs.

(Narrator) Christopher! I missed you!

"But you could always see me bud." Christopher says, stroking Tari's light.

(Narrator) It's not the same when you can't see me.

Tari's colour deepens, mixing with yellow aftertones. Bits of joy shining through their sadness.

"I know. I missed you too, Tari." Tari becomes more yellow as sorrow gives way to joy. "But why do you look faded?" Christopher's statement shocks both Jasyn and Jill, not getting a full picture.

(Narrator) I'm being affected by the Spatial Displacement. Father told me that if I get too close to the crater, my essence will disappear.

"What does that mean? Like, you'll die?" Christopher asks.

"Wait, what's this about Tari dying? Please don't say he's dying." Jasyn says in a panic.

(Narrator) I-I don't know what it means.

Tari's light starts to add in a hint of navy blue, mixing in with the pink and yellow glow. They seem to brighten slightly from their weak luminescence.

"I-I think you're getting brighter by staying close to me Tari." Christopher says. "It must be because of that deity's blessing."

(Narrator) Right. That was The Father, Tallifik.

"You mean, The God of Life and Light Tallifik?" Christopher blurts out. "Your parent, Tallifik?"

Tari spins in a motion akin to a nod, affirming Christopher's conclusions.

"O-ok. You just talked to Tallifik, The Guardian of All Life on this planet. No big deal or anything." Jill sputters.

"After trying to comprehend Nebulon, not much can fluster me at this point. Spent months trying to figure out how to solve the paradox and just gave up."

"I found it a little surprising. But at least we know Tari is gonna be ok. He just has to stay close to you, right." Jasyn asks.

"Presumably. It could however only be a side effect of The Father's blessing? Why did they give me a blessing anyhow? It seems all too convenient." Christopher points out.

(Narrator) I don't know my father's motives, but he started talking to me after he noticed my light fading.

"Naawwe! He loves you!" Christopher says in a cutesy voice, babying Tariku.

"I feel like we need to discuss these Undead hoards hunting us. It seems intentional." Jasyn interrupts.

"I think we can say for certain that the one commanding the Lesser Undead is an Elder Lich at this point. There has to be another that's a higher rank as the Lich. Whoever they are, they're the Core's Dungeon Master." Christopher says.

"So how do we approach this?" Jill says, using her sword to pull herself to her feet.

"Their plan seems to be to wear us down so they can pick us off as they please. And if that doesn't work, use Beerwolf as a hostage so we surrender to them. It's basic, but effective. Especially since I'm probably their target. Why else would they be using that spatial interference?" Christopher says.

Tari ponders the dilemma for a bit, their light turning a contemplative dark violet.

(Narrator) Isn't the weakness of Spatial Magic gravity? Like, what if it's something like an object that is really hyperdense in Gravity Magic? Couldn't that interfere somehow?

"Maybe. It could be an unknown aspect of Gravity Magic. Very interesting…Yes…This makes much more sense." Christopher groans. "We made this whole thing so much harder for ourselves for no damn reason! Let's go kill these motherfuckers. I'm so done with this shit."

"How do you mean?" Jasyn asks.

"Gravity bends and manipulates Space-time. It could also theoretically attract the isolated mana associated with Spatial Magic. Like a very powerful magnet. Based on this event of course." Christopher says.

"Oohhh." Jill and Jasyn say in tandem. Their tone suggests they haven't got a clue. Same here to be fair.